Izyan Ahmad, who made a promise to Federer at 7, now ready for big stage

Dubai: During the 2017 US Open, seven-year-old Izyan Ahmad — affectionately known as “Zizou” — experienced a moment he would never forget. At a press conference, he was given the chance to ask his idol, Roger Federer, a question.

“You’ve been the most consistent player of all time. Can you please continue to play for eight or nine more years so that I can play you when I turn pro?” the young fan asked.

Federer, who had just turned 36 at the time, smiled and replied, “I’ll make sure that maybe I come back for you.”

“Is that a promise?” Ahmad quickly followed up.

“Almost one. Pinky promise,” the Swiss legend responded.

Fast forward to the present, and Ahmad is preparing to compete at the BNP Paribas Open. Now 15 years old and unranked on the professional tour, he is set to play in qualifying for the ATP Masters 1000 event, where he faces third seed Thiago Agustin Tirante.

“I’m super grateful and I’ll do my best to make the most of it,” Ahmad, currently ranked No 130 in the junior world rankings, told ATP Tour website. “It’s amazing to be this young and have the chance to experience this, see all the pros, and compete alongside them.”

Looking back at the viral press conference moment that resurfaced ahead of the tournament, Ahmad explained how carefully he had prepared his question.

“He’s been my favourite since I was little, so I thought hard about what to ask. I didn’t want something boring or something he had answered a thousand times. I wanted it to be different,” he said. “So I came up with this joke. It wasn’t that funny — but for a seven-year-old, it worked.”

He also recalled the now-famous “pinky promise” exchange. “After he said he’d think about playing longer, my mom, who was next to me, whispered, ‘Ask him if it’s a pinky promise.’ That’s the part that got clipped. So I definitely have my mom to thank for that moment.”

Five years later, in 2022, Ahmad had another surreal experience — hitting with Federer in Switzerland.

“That was unbelievable,” Ahmad said. “This opportunity now feels incredible too. I’ve worked harder for this one. There’s still some luck involved — maybe 90 per cent luck and 10 per cent my effort — but I’ve put in the work to at least be considered. I’m just trying to make the most of it.”

The New Jersey native has trained at the John McEnroe Tennis Academy on Randall’s Island in New York since the age of six.

“He’s there every day,” Ahmad said of John McEnroe. “If he sees me, he’ll stop and talk. We hit together often. He’s very invested, and I’m extremely grateful for that. He doesn’t have to take time out of his day to give advice or practice with me, but he does. He watches me train, comes into the gym — he’s just a great human being. Very relaxed off the court, very competitive on it. I respect him a lot.

“If it weren’t for his academy, I wouldn’t be here.”